I must reach the forest in time

Before the break of dawn each day

to pick some dreams

scattered in misty darkness.

 

I must reach before the sun crackles

through the leaves of the trees on which

dreams appear perching on the branches

through the night.

 

Dreams – half-dreamt, fully dreamt –

and those yet to be dreamt –

like babies, born and unborn,

crying out for attention,

making weird faces in sleep.

 

I pick what gets my fancy

Bits from my wrinkled past

The shadowy fragments of future

Mixing in twilight

Droplets of dew

Ready to vanish with sunrise.

 

Each day I come home with a bagful

Of dreams that drip through the day

For me and all.

 

Each night

I wait for the new dawn.

Sukrita Paul Kumar has published several collections of poems (“Without Margins”, “Poems Come Home”, “Dream Catcher” and many others). Her books have been published by HarperCollins, Penguin, Katha amongst others. Professionally, she holds a Chair at the University of Delhi. She was invited by the International Writing Programme, Iowa and has participated in several literary festivals in India and abroad.